Chelsea's transfer ban is suspended

Subject to a final decision it seems but would seem very likely.

Yep, that's just a formality.

Why dont the Governing Bodies get a f*cking backbone. If they felt it was right to impose it in the first place, then stick to your guns.

It was the arbitration court and all they've done is agree to suspend it, will probably happen but starting from the summer transfer window. So expect Chelsea to stock up in January.

Welcome to the FIFA@StamfordBridge.com Stadium

Exactly why Chelsea waited so long to appeal so it could not be heard before the January window. Roma pulled the same stroke when they were given the same punishment by UEFA , their ban was reduced to one window which if Chelsea get dealt with the same wiill be the summer.

pathetic - agreed about the backbone post (although I'm sure it's more complicated than that)

It's not really a question of 'backbone'. Chelsea have a right to appeal and that has nothing to do with FIFA or UEFA.

This was always very likely to happen. Was reported at the time about Chelsea leaving it to the last minute to appeal and with Christmas coming up then any final decision would have to wait until early next year and allowing Chelsea to shop in January.

Surprised they haven't shortened more (gone from 2.30 to 2.24 on this news).

Vaprus Parnu I know nothing of this case, many thanks for educating me.

Templeton, if it was very likely to happen I guess that explains why the price has not moved much.

I am aware of that Vaprus, but there should have been more stringent limits on the grounds to appeal. So they couldnt engineer it so it hasnt affected them at all in the short term. Appreciate how hard that is though.

Baz, very likely in my opinion doesn't mean very likely in the market's opinion. Although I expect it was thought likely by most.

Yes Can't Catch Me, I agree with that. It was obvious this was likely to happen, Chelsea have taken advantage of the system, which needs to be rectified.

right decision,innocent till proven guilty

correct decision . if they are gonna punish chelsea for it they basically have to punish about 90%of clubs. they all poach from clubs smaller than themselves.

Spurz obviously exempt then imo :D

Then punish them all mtoto surely?

yes, can't just pick one as a scapegoat. ain't gonna happen. liverpool have been one of the biggest culprits over the years.

I wondered why Big Sam had a smile on his face this morning ;)

assuming the ban is knocked down to 1 window surely they'd be better off being banned for january rather than the summer ? nearly all the decent players are unavailable or cup tied in january.

As a Liverpool fan, thats fine. If everyone is at it, they need to sort it out to protect the smaller clubs imo

again no thought put into the process,a set procedure should be in place so that any appeals are dealt with before the ban starts.

PAULBU 06 Nov 13:43


I wondered why Big Sam had a smile on his face this morning

I'm sure every Rovers fan would agree that the decision to overturn the scandalous decision to bar Chelsea from signing players is a fair and just measure. I would also like to add that Chelsea players should be exempt from playing in the African Nations Cup too imho.

"they need to sort it out to protect the smaller clubs imo"

Are these the same small clubs who poach kids from non-league and sunday teams, without paying those clubs a penny.

Any player registered to a team that comes under the jurisdiction of the FA is deemed to have a contract with that club, this includes your local sunday teams. Don't see anyone moaning when players are poached from those clubs right at the bottom of the footbal pyramid

^ thats why i said 90% do it ^

I completely disagree with mtoto and CCM. It's fine to single out chelsea and make an example of them.

Mchaggis at the lower levels of football , clubs encourage young players to move on into professional football . it reflects well in that it means good young players will think they can be spotted there. Higher up the leagues you are talking about youngsters who may one day command big fees which is an entirely different issue. UEFA are under pressure to stop this sort of poaching by English clubs who can offer pro contracts and therefore big wages before teams in Europe can legally do so. This situation has bubbled under since Anelka joined Arsenal ten years ago from PSG .

Right so it's ok to poach kids for free from Sunday clubs who have probably been coaching them from the age of 8, just because there is the carrot of a professional contract being dangled.

smacks of double standards in my opinion

according to chelsea's website it hasnt been suspended

And if we are talking of inequalities of English clubs offering contracts before other countries are allowed, how about the inequalities of spanish clubs being able to bring in South American kids that can't come into the UK, or Scandanavian clubs able to bring in non eu players on "scholorships"

Every country has their own "loopholes", but you don't see UEFA sorting those out do you.

wazza, chelsea won't comment until it has been officially ratified and then it will be a simple one or two line comment.

They won't say anything that may affect the final outcome

McHaggis if there is no grievance between the clubs then there is no problem.Why such extreme sanctions have been imposed on Chelsea in my view is an on going problem with English clubs exploiting employment law to poach young players from European clubs. Anelka, Fabregas, Flamini and more recently fran Merida have all ended up over here under such circumstances and now the rest of Europe is ticked off with it.

your point about scholarships is a good one , but it is different when 17 year olds who have already played first team football are nothing more than swiped from under the noses of their club. I am not just pointing the finger at Chelsea, liverpool academy is full of foriegn kids likewise arsenal and united.

French hypocrites, steal all the best african kids, throw a few backhanders to corrupt african officials, and everything is fine, if the english then go on and "steal" those same kids they scream foul

Typical. Roman's cash has resolved this problem...

It's the french who need to get a backbone.

Instead of going crying to FIFA/UEFA they should invest in their teams and secure their young talents with decent contracts that make them less easy to poach.

Players (like everybody else in any job) will always want to better themselves and their circumstances.